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How to Make More Friends in Singapore? – The Definitive Guide

I enjoy travelling, I don’t like routine and enjoy making new friends. In addition to that, the line between being a freelancer, entrepreneur and broke is often really thin. On months when I don’t have any freelance projects going on, I’m pretty much forced into employment. I’m then forced to learn how to make more friends in Singapore itself, to be flexible in any kind of different social situations.

How to Make More Friends in Singapore?

Over the last couple of years, I’m forced to make new friends wherever I go. So, assuming you’re a foreigner here in Singapore, or just a Singaporean guy looking to make new friends in his own country. How do you go about doing so?

Forget What Your Parents Said About Talking to Strangers

It’s not uncommon to hear Asian/Singaporean parents tell you to not to talk to strangers whilst growing up. This is further enforced by Singaporean culture: Talking to strangers is a weird thing. It’s a screwed up cultural flaw and needs to be changed.

To make new friends, you need to learn how to talk to strangers. Duh, of course. Learning how to talk to strangers can help with your shyness, and build conversational skillsets.

In any given job scope, you’ll be required to comminute to your co-workers and bosses. Learning how to spark conversations if is an important skillset. Furthermore, if you’re in the sales line, you’ll be required to socialize, network and pitch your products and services.

It’s often said that your network, is your network, that’s more than true.

Don’t Just Focus On Grades and School

It’s a Singaporean culture to totally ignore your social life and just focus on your grades in Junior College up till University. That might work for you for school and your career, but that’s not going to do much for you for your social life and your dating life.

Furthermore, there’s tons of research that back up that people who are more emotionally intelligent tend to be more successful in life. So yes, it’s time to loosen up, make new connections and take part in more social activities within your school and your workplace.

Explore Your Demographics

It’s time to pursue that passion of yours that you’ve always wanted to but held back. Joining local clubs and connecting with people with similar interest groups can help you make more friends in Singapore. Either that, take part in free networking events in Singapore.

Meetup.com and Eventbrite often host free/ low cost events. You can meet like minded individuals that might turn out to be great friendships in these events.

For eg. I value education. I’m going to hit it off better with guys and girls that value education. These people can be found in University.

If you’re University, it’s easy, just take part in school activities.

Stop Playing into Traditional Asian Stereotypes

This is Hollywood’s fault for stereotyping us Asians as conservative, not- go-getters. Asians are commonly stereotyped to be more conservative, shy and withdrawn.

For every stereotype, there’s some truth to it. That’s on the average, true.

Whenever I’m in a Western culture I get a cultural shock at how people are much more open as compared back in Singapore. However, that doesn’t mean you’re limited to your culture. Screw the stereotypes and start learning to redefine yourself.

Change The People Around You

I know, it’s scary.

When I was trying to get my dating life handled as a young budding Singapore pick up artist, I lost a good bunch of people around me.

However, I took the opportunity to network with like minded people, hit the clubs together, travelled solo, explored my interests and expanded my demographics. If your friends are all social dead ends that have nothing going on for them on Friday night, you’re likely going to end up like them too.

Look, I’m not saying dump your friends, but you got to really take a close look at your long term friendships.

Do these people have similar life values as you do? Or are they secretly shitting on your endeavours?

There was a period of time where a couple of my good friends called me superficial for hitting the clubs trying to pick up girls. Is that really so? Was I superficial for was I merely attempting to better my dating life?

Learn Social Skillsets

Last but not least, it’s useless to show up in social situations not knowing how to make connections. Don’t worry, all of these can be learned.

If you want the fast track, hire a Singapore dating coach, I’ll coach you personally. Either that, read my free guides (you cheapo). They are written for especially to help guys get good with girls, which is the whole point of this blog, but the same principles apply (just take away the flirting).

Building these social and emotional habits will take time. However, it’s better to start later than never. I’ve travelled all over Asia, solo, and in every country, these conversational skillsets have help me make new friends in these foreign countries.

Closing Thoughts

I want to close off by saying that not everyone you meet in Singapore or in foreign countries is out to make new friends. Not everyone’s going to be a perfect fit. However, if you pursue passions closer to your values, you’re going to find yourself in a better position.

I also like to add in that sometimes, the Singapore cliquish culture gets in the way. People stay in the same tightly knitted social groups for years since they are 16. It’s hard to break into them. That can get in the way of making new friends in Singapore. However, if for the demographics of 25 and above (post-University) it can get easier. That’s from personal experience.